Bubble-forming writing instrument



pril 8, 1952 Will [Ill- 2:2221

L nz c. F. RlTcHlE #FORMING WRITlNG INSTRUMENT BUBBLE Filed April 6, 195o ze l Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawing.

Patented Apr. 8, 1952 n UNITED STATES PA-.T ENT `OF F IfCE.

' v Y 2,591,874A` BUBBLE-reame WRITINGl INSTRUMENT clayton F. nitchie-ohicagam. Application April e, 1950seria1No. 154,389"

2 claims.y (o1. 41.-1o

This invention relates to` a bubble-forming Writing instrument in the form of a bubbling pencil and pen adapted for use by children and others as a combined writing instrument and novelty. p

An object of this invention is to provide a novel bubble-forming writing instrument in the form of ay bubbling pencil and pen embodying the novel features of construction and the novel mode of operation hereinafter described.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a novel writing` instrument which will form bubbles under theA heat of the users` body as applied thereto by the lingers during the writing operation. Y

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawing:

Fig; 1 is an elevational View illustrating. the manner in which the new bubble-forming writing instrument maybe used;

Fig; 2 is an elevational-view of the present invention as embodied in a bubble-forming pen;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the present invention as embodied in a bubble-forming pen- Cil.;

Fig. -4-is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectionalview illustrating the v.construction of the new...bubbleforming writing instrument `as. embodied in a writing pen; Y

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the present invention as embodied in a writing` pencil, as illustrated in Fig. 3, partly in section and partly in elevation;A

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional plan View on line 6-6 in Fig. 4; and Y Fig. 'l is a transverse sectional plan view on line 'I--T in Fig. 4.

The present invention in the form of a bubbleformingV Writing instrument is illustrated in the drawings as yembodied inA two of. its permissible forms, namely, as a bubble-forming writing pen, asillustratedin Figs. 1, 2,4, 6 and 7,ancl.as"a bubbleeforming writing pencil, as illustrated in However, since `the construction of the new bubble-forming`v writzinginstrument, in bothof the forms referred to is, in general, quite similar, the invention will :first be described as the bubble-forming pen -Which is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 6 and-7 and thereafter the invention will befdescribed as `to the bubble-forming pencil form of the invention which is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawing.

Referring to the form of the present invention which is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 of the drawing, thek new bubble-forming writing instrument is generally Vindicatedlat l; and em`- "bodies a substantially'cylindrical 'housing or barrel III having a reduced and externally threaded V uplxer end portion I2. Thebarrel or'cylinder is I preferably-'made of a transparent"resinousplastic material such, for example, as lIiucit'e,` andhas a centrally arranged' longitudinally extending interior bong |13 whichis'adapted to hold a'='sup ply'of' aV liquid M which Will volatilize below'the normal temperature ofthe-human body, sofas to form bubbles, aswill'beidescribed'hereinafter.

An-v internally threaded sleeve* IA is threaded onto the' reduced externally threaded upper end portion l2 ofthe Ybarrel Il and this sleeve I-5has a central passage Hi` extending therethroughjand the passage |6-terminates at its-'upper fend in a reduced internally ythreaded passage I -T having 'a Vclosure member, intheform voa small-`` screw or bolt i8, threaded therein.V A closure cap12il:3 is detachably `mounted in any suitable manner, as by'meansf of aV` frictionallfit, upon arshoulder 3i! which is Vformed upon the external-surface of the sleeve I5, and the external surface of" the upper portion ofthesleeveA l5 is =reducedain diameterto provide a' space Ill` between `the sameuand vthe wallof theclosure cap 20, as showninvFig.

4. The 'closure cap 211 has a centrally arranged vent. opening 27| formedinthe end-wall`22 thereof (Fig. 4)".

An escape ventl or pressure-relief opening 23 is formed in` the side wall of the reducedfupper end. portion of" thek sleeve .I5 and. this. vent. 23 opens-'into the'y passage lllY which, v ini turm communicates with the: vent opening 2| whichA is Vmanner;V asy by a pressed.` t Vor frictional en- "gagement with the internal surface. of.` thev lower portion" of` thexsl'eeve- 25,. or otherwise, and` this writing pen` unit. or head 255 has. a` seriesof stepped portions 2J formedv therein. As shown jin Fig. 4, Vthe steppedrportion's .21' are?` ofv decreas- "ing,v diameter, as they progressupWardly (Hg 49'. Vthereby providing a chamber 28 between the wall of the sleeve 25 and the outer surface of the head 26. This chamber 28 communicates with,

'and is, in effect, an extension of the chamber 3 I3 in the barrel II, so that the liquid I4 in the chamber or barrel II will flow into the chamber 28.

A suitable writing instrument which may be a pen point 29, of conventional design, is mounted in the head 26 and in this instance the pen point 29 is fed from an ink passage 30 formed in the head 26.

In the use of the form of the invention which is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7, a supply of a suitable iiuid I4 may be placed in the interior chamber I3 of the barrel II and for this purpose I prefer to use a fluid which will volatilize and bubble at a low temperature, well below the temperature of the human body, and which is nontoxic and non-inflammable liquid. Thus I have found that a suitable liquid for this purpose is decailuorobutane, which has a boiling point of 27 F., and is non-toxic and non-inflammable. To introduce the liquid I4 into the chamber I3 it is merely necessary to remove the closure cap 20 and the closure screw I8 and pour the liquid I4 into the chamber I3 through the passages I1 and I6.

When the invention is used as a writing pen the same is grasped by the fingers around the sleeve 25 whereupon the heat of the ngers around the lower portion of the heat-conductive sleeve 25, which as a finger grip, will heat the liquid I4 in the chamber 21 above its boiling point and cause the same to form bubbles 3l (Fig. l) which will flow upwardly through the chamber I3 and will be visible through the transparent barrel II, thereby create a novel bubbling eiect while, at the same time, the new writing instrument will serve its function as a pen.

The present invention as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawing is embodied in a, bubble-forming writing pencil and those parts thereof which are similar to corresponding parts in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 have been given similar reference numerals followed by the additional and distinguishing reference character a.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawing, a lead propelling unit 32, of the self-propelling type, and of conventional design, is mounted in the sleeve 25a, and a chamber 33 is formed in the head 25a, this chamber 33 communicating with and forming, in effect, an extension of the chamber I3a.

The bubble-forming writing instrument Illa, shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawing, embodies a tip or nib 34 having a Writing rod or so-called lead 35 mounted therein and which is adapted to be propelled by the propelling mechanism 32.

The upper end portion of the writing instrument or bubble-forming pencil, which is shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawing, is the same in construction and in oper-ation as the upper portion embodied in the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7, and as shown in Fig. 4, and hence need not be described again herein.

In the use of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawing, the chamber I3a in the barrel IIa, may be filled with a low-temperature vol-atilizing uid I4a, which may be the 4same as the uid I4 hereinbefore described, and this fluid will flow from the chamber I3a. into the chamber 33 wherein it will be volatilized by the temperature of the users fingers gripping the sleeve 25a during the writing operation, thereby creating a stream of bubbles which will flow upwardly through the transparent barrel I la, thereby creating a novel bubbling effect while, at the same time, the new writing instrument performs its writing function as a pencil.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, that the present invention has the desirable advantages and characteristics, and accomplishes its intended objects, including those hereinbefore pointed out and others which are inherent in the invention.

I claim:

l. A device of the character described comprising an elongated rounded plastic barrel having an elongated and open-ended internal chamber filled with a liquid of a boiling point substantially below normal human body temperature, removable closure cap means secured to the upper end of the barrel and including a vent opening and a reiill inlet both communicable with the internal chamber in the barrel, a metallic sleeve secured to the lower end of the barrel and being of substantially greater heat conductance than the barrel, an element within the sleeve having successive sections of decreasing diameter tapering upwardly toward and being in alignment with the lower end of the said internal chamber, the sleeve encircling the said sections of the said element whereby facing portions of the sleeve and element together denne an annular chamber constituting a lower extension of the said elongated chamber, the exterior portions of the barrel, sleeve, and closure cap means being of a size and configuration corresponding to that of a writing implement, and the thickness of the walls of the metallic sleeve at the said annular passage being such that the liquid in the transparent barrel is heated to boiling when grasped between the ngers.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the closure cap means includes a rst sleeve threaded to an upper extension of the transparent barrel and a second sleeve frictionally mounted over and about a portion of the said first sleeve, the said first and second sleeves having an outside diameter corresponding to that of the transparent barrel and metallic sleeve, the metallic sleeve being threaded to a lower extension of the transparent barrel, and the liquid in the barrel being decafluorobutane.

CLAYTON F. RITCHIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

l UNITED STATES PATENTS Number OTHER REFERENCES Simons and Block, page 965, vol. 61 of October 1939 J. of Amer. Chem. Society. 

